Nauni University’s vegetable center, the Solan Center of All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Vegetable Crops, has been honoured as the ‘Best Research Center on Vegetable Crops (2022)’ in India by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). This recognition celebrates the center’s remarkable contributions to vegetable research under the AICRP initiative.
The AICRP comprises a network of 36 regular centers and 24 volunteer centers, representing State Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes across the country. The Solan AICRP Centre on Vegetable Crops, operated by the Department of Vegetable Science at Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry (UHF), runs this exceptional facility.
The award was presented during the 41st Annual Group Meeting of AICRP, held at Sher E Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), on Saturday. University Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmed Ganai presented the award in the presence of UHF Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel.
This three-day annual meet has attracted more than 300 delegates, including esteemed individuals such as ICAR ADG Horticulture Dr. Sudhakar Pandey, Director of the Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) Dr. TK Behera, Vice Chancellors of various agriculture universities, directors and heads of institutions, and renowned vegetable scientists from all over the country. The event serves as a platform for discussing the latest technologies, cutting-edge research, and innovative techniques in vegetable cultivation. UHF scientists, namely Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj, Dr. Kuldeep Thakur, Dr. Sandeep Kansal, Dr. Divender Mehta, and Dr. Rakesh Kumar, were also present at the meeting.
Established in 1972, the Solan Center is a regular center of AICRP (VC), focusing on research encompassing all aspects of horticulture, including basic, strategic, and applied areas. Dr. Ramesh Bhardwaj, the Principal Investigator of the center, highlighted its notable accomplishments over the past five years. The center has collected, evaluated, and maintained a total of 553 germplasm of diverse vegetable crops such as cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum, carrot, radish, beetroot, cucumber, garden pea, beans, lettuce, tomato, cherry tomato, onion, and more.
During this period, the center successfully conducted 109 varietal trials, 38 hybrid trials, 11 resistant varietal trials, 9 vegetable production cultivation-related trials, 68 disease and insect pest management trials, and 31 seed production trials, covering a range of 14 vegetable crops. Moreover, the center has played a crucial role in developing and releasing improved varieties/hybrids of different vegetables, with 12 of them being recognized under the AICRP (VC) Programme. Additionally, 6 vegetable varieties developed by UHF, Solan, are now employed as national check varieties for AICRP (VC) trials.
The center’s remarkable contributions extend beyond variety development. In collaboration with UHF Solan, it has developed 9 production and 12 protection technologies that have been widely embraced by growers in Himachal Pradesh and neighboring hilly states. Moreover, the institution has produced 31.39 quintals of breeder seeds for various vegetable crops. The center’s dedicated scientists have published 46 research papers and garnered over 16 awards and fellowships in the past five years, further enhancing their reputation and expertise.
Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel, the Vice-Chancellor of UHF, conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to the team for bringing such prestigious recognition to the university. The honor bestowed upon the Solan Center reaffirms its position as a leading hub of vegetable research and innovation in India.
